Aug. 29 letters to the editor

There's a growing epidemic in America, surprisingly, with little fanfare or acknowledgment.

This epidemic -- in many parts of the country -- is the systematic erosion of voting rights of minorities, the elderly, the poor, and students. It's disguised as protection from nonexistent issues of voter fraud.

Many Republican-controlled states have rolled back early voting, voter registration drives, Sunday voting before an election, preregistration for high-school seniors, closed polling places and reduced voting hours, along with highly discriminatory voter ID laws.

Students at historically black colleges and universities with progressive backgrounds are finding their votes challenged and new barriers instituted to make voting more difficult.

Where's the outrage? Where's the mainstream media's attention and scrutiny?

Ironically, it's been 50 years since the March on Washington by Martin Luther King Jr. and tens of thousands of Americans demanding equal rights, including the right to vote.

Many people have bled and died to fight for and protect the right to vote. And now, once more, those rights are under full assault.

Do we still have the courage to fight back? I certainly hope so.

Kylan Patterson

El Sobrante

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Idiotic behavior started grass fire

Aug. 21 was both a Spare the Air day as well as a red-flag warning day.

On such days, we are told: Don't drive your cars unless absolutely necessary; don't barbecue your dinner; don't create air pollution; don't use your lawn mower or weed whacker; and don't do anything that could cause a spark in high grass.

So, what numskull at Camp Parks near Tassajara Road in Dublin came up with the absolutely brilliant idea this would be a great day to go out and throw some smoke bombs?

Doesn't the air quality board, which loves to fine people for using their fireplaces on such days, have a special branch to look for smoke bomb users?

Clinton Collier

Walnut Creek

Mallard Fillmore's humor is caustic

Initially, I overlooked Mallard Fillmore in the comics because it simply doesn't have the usual appearance of a comic strip. When liberals began demanding that it be removed, I became interested.

Since then, I have greatly enjoyed the caustic humor that effectively burns the bleeding hearts.

If Michael Vaughan doesn't think Mallard Fillmore is funny, as he expressed in his letter, then he should stop reading it. Heaven knows, there's plenty of pro-Obama drivel in the Times for him to enjoy instead.

Walter D. Welti

Danville

Rubio is wrong on immigration

By his ill-conceived statements, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is trying hard to ensure he does not win the presidential primary in 2016, and may not win re-election in 2018.

His obsession with gaining passage for the abominable Gang of Eight amnesty for illegal immigrants bill is building a backlash against Rubio's political ambitions. Poll after poll shows the American people are opposed to his bill because it does not deliver absolute border security before it opens the floodgates to illegal immigrants.

Furthermore, Rubio demonstrates his ignorance of the U.S. Constitution by stating that if his bill is not passed, President Barack Obama will mandate, by executive order, amnesty for illegal immigrants.

The president does not have the constitutional authority to take such action. If Obama does make such a move, he almost ensures his impeachment and removal from office for rebuking his oath of office by deliberately performing illegal acts. After the 2014 elections, predicted to give complete control of the Congress to the Republicans, impeachment/removal is practically guaranteed, regardless of the liberal media's dismay.

Ernest Hampson

Pittsburg

Rodriguez needs to face the music

Why is it that of all those busted for steroids these past few weeks, all but one are taking their suspensions like men? The ringleader, Alex Rodriguez, is still playing, despite a very lengthy suspension. How is that?

Come on, A-Rod: Man up! Or would you like some cheese with your whine?